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League One Preview: Promotion rivals square off

20 February 2014 11:38

Brentford host Wolves in a mouth-watering top-of-the table clash in League One on Saturday.

Unbeaten in the league since October, leaders Brentford emerged from the reverse fixture with a goalless draw, but another clean sheet could prove a tall order as Wolves, who sit third, have scored 12 times in five consecutive wins.

With at least one of their rivals guaranteed to drop points, second-placed Leyton Orient will hope to capitalise when they welcome Swindon Town to Brisbane Road.

A 2-0 midweek win at home to bottom-placed Stevenage represented Orient's first victory in February and ended a run that had seen them take just one point from four outings.

Preston North End and Rotherham United head the chasing pack and face away trips to Colchester United and Carlisle United respectively - two teams stationed in lower mid-table and in need of points to ease any relegation fears.

Carlisle would settle for a repeat of Tuesday night's 2-1 comeback win on the road against Coventry City, which saw on-loan Manchester United man Sam Byrne blasting home a 70th-minute winner.

Coventry must try to bounce back against Tranmere Rovers, who sit one point above the drop zone and in a state of turmoil following the suspension of manager Ronnie Moore amid a Football Association investigation into the 61-year-old's potential breach of betting rules.

In those circumstances, It was perhaps beneficial for Tranmere that their game against Crawley Town was postponed on Tuesday.

A waterlogged pitch meant a fifth consecutive postponement for Crawley, who have slipped to fifth-bottom during their period of inactivity. They will dearly hope to return to action at Walsall on Saturday.

Victory for Walsall and a defeat for Peterborough United would see the former leap into the play-off places, although Darren Ferguson's men will be confident of adding to their points tally against basement boys Stevenage, who have lost four of their last six League One games.

Third-bottom hosts second-bottom when Notts County meet Shrewsbury Town at Meadow Lane, while Sheffield United, who climbed out of the relegation zone with victory over Gillingham on Wednesday, host Bristol City seeking a fifth successive win in all competitions.

Crewe Alexandra dropped into the bottom four as a result of United's midweek success and go in search of just a third away win of the season when they make the short journey to face Port Vale.

Oldham Athletic, currently 16th, will hope to close in on 12th-placed Gillingham by triumphing in the duo's meeting at Boundary Park, while the former's conquerors from last week, MK Dons, must try to breathe further life into their play-off ambitions at Bradford City.